so my last big thank you and before i give my last thank i want to recognize recreation and park and plan commissioner cindy wu is also here. thank you, cindy. [ applause ] my last big thank you is to you. is to the friends of joe dimaggio playground and the neighbors here who have fought and fought and fought. the giants actually opened up at at&t park in 2000 and it took 12 years or it took 10 years for our first world championship, right? it's taken ten years to get to this spot right now. thank you friends of joe dimaggio playground and thunk lizzy and thank you all for your persistence and thank you for putting the community interest above your self interests because quite frankly, the kids are in

college now since the project started this. is an amazing inspired project and thank you to all of you for making our city great. yes on b! [ applause ] >> thank you phil, what he didn't complete the story we go out to school and do reads and do the poet in the pocket once a year. our next leader gives many, many hours of dedicated service to leading the commission, leading the vision for the library, not only the branch library improvement program, but the array of services and programs that we provide. it's my honor and pleasure to work side by sigh with their, our commissioner president julegomez. [ applause ] . >> thank you so much, what i want to do today in addition to thanking my fellow commissioners teresa and michael, and thanking the mayor and our supervisors. [ applause ]

what i usually like to do is to remind all of us that this is sacred ground. the people who came before most of us, the native people who came before us believed that this ground was sacred and no one is an owner. we are stewards of this ground. the dirt that you are going to play in and plant in is the legacy that those people have left us. it's really appropriate, i think that we have gone to all corners of the city. we have gone east and south and west and we conclude here in the

invite you to join us back at tent and catherine is waving her arm where's you can join us in the north beach campaign. we have john briscoe, our honorary chair, who will lead that along with our board of directors, camilla, john. steven. carol goodman. we have haven't done this alone. i would like to quickly acknowledge our partnership organizations. friends of joe dimaggio,

russian river, the committee for better parks and recreation for north beach, the community youth center, telegraph hill center. sherman elementary. the francisco middle school pto. states peter and paul school. john parker elementary and garfield elementary and thank you victoria pastry cake donated the cake and make sure you eat some cake and join us for our campaign in north beach. thank you. [ applause ] >> thank you, scott. we're almost there. oh, former commissioner lonnie chen. thank you lonnie for being here [ applause ] we're almost there. one more individual. she has already been mentioned. it's a perfect tribute, a

capstone, julie christiansen. >> thank you >> can i get my team up here? i have been fielding all the thanks, but it doesn't really belong to me. it belongs to all of these people. who else is here from our group? come on up. who am i missing? >> the whole village, come on up. >> so we have a couple of city folks. where is greg scott? gret get up here. greg, get up here. i want to point out jill, karen. jill is the deputy chief librarian and karen, these two women are the fairy godmothers of this project.

we would not be here without all the people that you heard from, but we would not be here without them. give thermometer a big round of applause. [ applause ] >> we have also got on city staff our aquatic director greg scott. [ applause ] >> and let's see, who else did we get up here? huh? mindy. mindy is on my list. i am the last speaker. they are going to try to limit me to the public hearing three minutes and i'm going to try to stick to that, probably not. [ [ laughter ] after i'm finished we're going to turn some dirt. we have a food truck because we deposit want anybody hungry. you guys patronize them if you will. mel sharp and his band are going to be back playing after the speeches. so hang around and party down. i just have a few people that i need to thank. [ laughter ] i will do the

short list. of course the mayor. mayor lee has had a lot of celebrating to do this week. we're really grateful here is here. our district 3 supervisor david chiu and his staff. they never pick up the phone or answer an email without saying, "what do you need and what can i do?" our head librarian, luis herrera. we were the first library on the list and we'll be the last one in the current branch library program to be completed. a lot of hard decisions and he stood with us. phil ginsburg, rec and park director. our dpw director mohammed, the last time i saw o & m mohammed he was pushing a wheelbarrow. our department heads have stood with us.

jill, karen, besides them, gary, who was at the time capital planning manager for rec and park. mindy, lenu chen, the manager for the project. michael from planning, john from the city attorney's office. michelle and mary, michelle is with the library and mary is with the friends of the library and put on this event today. our commissioners, rec and park, planning, library, who have voted unanimously. some of them more than once for this project. our board of supervisors, who stood with us. the architects, marsha and a special thanks to erin who has done so much to help us on though this project. you know? that is the city side of this public-private partnership and i have to be

fair in saying that this project has lasted through the term of two supervisors, two head librarians, three mayors, and four rec and park general managers. the heart of this project, the constant thing has been the heart of this neighborhood. has been our volunteers and our people. [ applause ] >> so i want to introduce june. [ applause ] , liz diaz. amy miles. bill collins. martha mahoney, who also does our halloween. terry. i saved lizzy. this is lizzy hirsch. she has been there. one of the founders of the friends of joe d in 1997. what started with planting a little grass on the children's playground has greatly expanded.

few people know that the movie "thelma and louise" is a highly fictionalized account of lizzy and mine's adventures. [ applause ] >> most of it is overstated except for the driving off the cliff part. we have done that more than once. [ laughter ] the so yay lizzy. [ applause ] where is tan? he won't come up here, but there is tan hiding in the back. [ applause ] of the chinese town community development center. tan is one of the hardest working neighborhood activists and one of the smartest political operatives that i know. i learn something every time i talk to him and we have really used his help on this project. tina of the russian river neighbors wasn't able to be here, but her colleagues were and we thank the russian hill neighbors for standing by us,

our sister organizations, all of our schools. nester from the telegraph center. we're honored by the number of people who have stood by us on this project. a special shutout to our families, to the spouses and the children that have had to work around and make due for so long while we were away doing something else. a special thanks to my husgreg husband greg smith. [ applause ] greg let us cut his birthday trip to hawaii short by a day and fly back on his birthday, so i could be here today. so if you wouldn't mind saying happy birthday greg. happy birthday greg! so this is a threshold, a beginning, a start. we're going to build a new library. there are a couple of other starts today. today is the start of the effort to raise money to

furnish and equip that library. the friends of the library have done an incredible job of doing that with 23 other branches. we're the last. we don't want to tiredly limp over that finish line. we want to show them what our neighborhood can do. so you are going to be getting the asks. the ask is to be able to help with that effort to furnish our library and equip it to make it the best library in the city of san francisco. so stay tuned, we need your help again. one more and that is prop b. how many people are going to vote in this election? can i see a show of hands? how many people will vote for prop b? >> yes. >> how many of you can think of at least two or three or four people in the next couple of days that you can talk to to make sure that they are voting for prop b, because that is it what it's going to take. we are within one or two percentage points ever victory. the people that you talk to could be the people that make the difference in that election.

i want to thank the mayor and our supervisors, and phil ginsburg for putting us on that bond. let's get prop b passed, shall we? [ applause ] so we're going to turn some dirt and we're going to start a library. thank you all for being here today. you made this happen. [ applause ] >> thank you, julie. well-done, julie. thank you. thank you. mr. mayor, will you have the honors. district supervisors, mohammed, phil, julie, come on down here and grab yourself a shovel and we're going to have a countdown.

are we ready? let's have a countdown. on the count of 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1! north beach branch library!

>> hello, i am with the recreation and parks department. we are featuring the romantic park location in your backyard. this is your chance to find your heart in santa and cisco with someone special. -- san francisco with someone special. our first look out is here at buena vista park, a favorite with couples and dog walkers. both have a significant force. a refreshing retreat from urban life.

the romantic past that meander up and down the park under pines and eucalyptus. hang out in this environment and you might see butterflies it, fennel, and then the lines. -- dandelions. is ada accessible. public transit is plentiful. we have conquered the steps, we have watched the dogs, and we have enjoyed a beautiful view. this is a place to take someone special on a romantic stroll and enjoyed a beautiful look out. welcome to corona heights located in the heart of this district. it offers a view of the downtown skyline, the bay bridge, and the

east bay. it is one of the best kept secrets in the city. it is hardly ever crowded. on any given day, you will run into a few locals. , bought a 37 bus to get there without any parking worries. for legged friends can run freely. there is also a patch of grass for the small box. >> it is a great place. it is a wonderful place to have these kinds of parks. that dog owners appreciate it. >> take time to notice of the wildfires that are on the grassland and keep your head out on the lookout for hawks and other bird life. be sure to take your camera and be prepared to take a view of the city will not forget. it has a beautiful red rock formations. you could watch the sunrise over the bay.

this is another one of our great lookouts. we are at mount davidson. 928 feet. this is the place for you to bring someone special. to not forget that dogs and enjoy all of the pathways and greenery that surrounds you. it provides a peaceful oasis of open space and great hiking trails. the spectacular view offers a perfect place to watch the sunrise or sunset with someone you love. >> it is a good place to get away from the hectic life of the city. come up here and listen to nature, i get some fresh air. that view is fantastic. >> where sturdy shoes.

hikers get the feeling of being in a rain forest. mount davidson is also a great place to escape the noise and the bustle of the city. take the 36 bus and it will drop you at the entrance. it is quite a hike to the top but the view is worth every step. this is the place to bring that someone special. golden gate park's largest body of water is an enchanting place. is a popular spot for paddling around in boats, which can be rented. created in 1893, it was designed for these your boating -- for leisure boating.

it is named for the wild strawberries that once flourished. there is also a waterfall, two bridges, and trails the climb to the summit, the highest point at more than four hundred feet. you can catch glimpses of the western side of the city that make this hilltop a romantic look out. for public transit, i take the n train. the lad the ad -- lake is ada accessible. watch many ducks, swans, and siegel's. -- seagulls. it is a great place to stroll and sail away. many couples come here to take a

ride around a lake, going under the bridges, passing the chinese pavilion and the waterfall. for a quiet getaway, making for a memorable and magical experience. located on 19th avenue, this growth is the place to where you're hiking boots, bring the family and the dog because it has so much to offer you and your loved ones. it is a truly hidden gem in the city. the park is rich with eucalyptus trees. long paths allow you to meander, perfect for a dog walking in a wooded environment. >> i enjoy the history. the diversity of nature that exists in such an urban city,

concrete streets, cars, we have this oasis of the natural environment. it reminds us of what the history was. >> there is a section for dogs and plenty of parking. transit is available on the 28 bus to get you very easily. the part is ada -- park is ada accessible. it is also a natural lake. this is your chance to stroll around the lake and let the kids run free. it also has many birds to watch. it is a place to find and appreciate what you -- a wonderful breath of fresh air. come and experience in this park

and enjoy the people, picnics, and sunshine. this is a lovely place to take a stroll with your loved ones. in the middle of pacific heights, on top of these hills, it offers a great square, a peaceful beauty, large trees and grass and greenery. it features tables and benches, a playground, restaurants, and tennis courts. there are plenty of areas for football and picnics. it is very much a couple's park. there are many activities you can experience together. stroll on the pathways, bring your dog, or just picnic at one of the many tables and enjoy all that it has to offer together. many couples find this is a perfect park to throw down a blanket and soak up the sun. it is a majestic place that you can share with someone you

chairs. lafayette park is also easily accessed from the 47, 49, and 90 buses. it is ada accessible. we are here at the historic palace of fine art in the marina district. originally built for the 1950's exposition, the palace is situated on san francisco's number waterfront. it is ada accessible and is reached by the 28, 30, and 91 bus lines. set against the reflecting waters of the lagoon and eucalyptus trees, the palace is one of san francisco post most

-- san francisco's most romantic spots to relax with that special someone while listening to the water and gazing at the swans. a beautiful to view from many locations along the mattoon, an ideal place to -- all -- lagoon, an ideal place to walk with a loved one. reservations for weddings are available at sfrecpark.org. discarding contains plants referred to by william shakespeare's plays and poems. welcome to the shakespeare garden here in the famous golden gate park. located near the museum and the california academy of sciences, the garden was designed by the california spring blossom and

wildfilower association. here is a truly enchanting and tranquil garden along a path behind a charming gate. this garden is the spot to woo your date. stroll around and appreciate its unique setting. the gorgeous brick walkway and a brick wall, the stone benches, the rustic sundial. chaired the part -- share the bard's word hundred famous verses from a shakespearean plays. this is a gem to share with someone special. pack a picnic, find a bench, and enjoy the sunshine, and let the whimsical words of william shakespeare and floats you and

your loved one away. this is one of the most popular wedding locations and is available for reservations. take a bus and have no parking worries. shakespeares' garden is ada accessible. located at the bottom of this hill, it is a secret garden with an infinite in captivating appeal. carefully tucked away, it makes the top of our list for most intimate pyknic setting. avoid all taurus cars and hassles by taking a cable car. or the 30, 45, or 91 bus. the garden was designed by

thomas church in 1957. grow old with me, the best is yet to be is inscribed on a sundial. it is anchored by twin white gazebos and flowers that bloom year-round. this is the place to tell someone special or the place to declare the commitment you two share. weddings and the event reservations are available for this adorable hidden gem. we know there are many other romantic parks in san francisco. we hope you have enjoyed this torre of lookouts, picnics, and strolls that are available every day. until next time, do not forget to get out and play. for more information about reserving one of these romantic reserving one of these romantic locations or any other location,